The tip of Toga's knife quivered just inches from Izuku's throat, catching and reflecting the flickering light from the alley's streetlamp. The cold metal was a promise of death, but the question in her eyes was a crack in her armor of madness.
"You're lying…" she whispered again, her voice a shaky thread of air. "Right?"
Izuku's brain, still buzzing from the chaotic overload of information, clung to that crack. The fear was still there, an icy knot in his stomach, but now it was mixed with something else: conviction.
"I wasn't lying," he said, his voice trembling but strangely firm. "I'm not lying! I saw your Quirk!"
"Nobody sees my Quirk," she hissed, the threat returning to her tone, though her eyes remained wide. "People see a monster."
"I didn't see a monster!" Izuku insisted. "I saw a mechanism! I saw how it works! My Quirk… it's called Enhancer. I see… the user manuals for other people's Quirks. I see their weaknesses, their limits… and I see how to optimize them. I saw yours! And I saw the part that makes you… need…! The part that causes you pain! And I think I know how to stop it! I can help you beat your blood addiction!"
The knife wavered. The word "addiction" hit her harder than any physical blow. It was a clinical word, a word she understood, a word she hated.
"Help me?" she laughed, but the sound was joyless. It was fragile, broken. "Why would a hero want to help me? You're supposed to lock me up."
"Because that's the kind of hero I want to be!" Izuku retorted, his passion overcoming his fear. "One who doesn't just punch villains, but understands why they are villains! And I… I saw why. It's not your fault! It's a flaw in your Quirk's system! And I think I can fix it!"
Silence took over the alley. Toga stared at him, her yellow eyes searching for any sign of deceit. She found none in him, only a terrified boy offering the one thing she had never dared to wish for: hope.
The knife lowered an inch. Then another.
"What…" her voice was barely a whisper, "…what do I have to do?"
Izuku swallowed; the hardest part of his desperate gambit was about to come to light.
"Well…" he began, avoiding her gaze and focusing on a damp spot on the brick wall. "For my Quirk to work properly… to get all the data, the deluxe version of the manual… I need… physical contact."
"You're already touching me," she said, a hint of her usual dangerous edge returning.
"Yeah, but… it's not enough. This is low-fidelity, chaotic contact. To get the full analysis, I need… more contact. More stable and distributed contact. Like…" he took a deep breath, "…like what happened a moment ago. During the fall."
Toga stared at him, her brain processing the implication. "Like… when I fell on…?"
"Yes!" he interrupted, too quickly. "That's the optimal analysis position! Apparently!"
She blinked. Once, twice. And then, a sharp, manic laugh erupted from her. It wasn't the laugh of a predator, but of someone who has reached the height of absurdity.
"Sit on your face?" she said, incredulous. "Again? You're kidding! You must think I'm stupid!"
"It's not a joke! I swear on All Might! It's how it works!" he pleaded, his face burning with humiliation. "I don't know why. Maybe it has to do with proximity to the center of mass or… or lipid distribution! The thighs, the hips, the butt… all those parts! More contact in those areas, more data! It's science, I swear!"
Toga stopped laughing. She looked at him, at this strange boy justifying his seemingly perverted Quirk with twisted but strangely consistent scientific logic. She weighed her options. On one hand, the chance that it was a trap. On the other, the possibility, however small, that he was telling the truth. The possibility of a cure.
Hope, that terrible and wonderful poison, won.
She let out a long sigh and sheathed her knife with a click that echoed in the alley.
"You are the weirdest boy I have ever tried to kill in my entire life," she declared.
And to Izuku's complete astonishment, she moved to adjust herself on top of him.
"Don't move," she warned him.
"I couldn't move if I wanted to!" he protested, his voice muffled.
She leaned in, her warm breath brushing against his ear. "If this is a trick…" she whispered, her voice a dangerous purr, "…I'll make sure your death is very, very slow. And very wet."
And then, she settled in.
"Alright, hero boy. Do your magic. Let's see if your science is as good as you claim."
A shiver ran down Izuku's spine, a mixture of terror and an emotion he refused to analyze. "Science," he repeated to himself, his face burning in the dark. "Focus on the science..."
With Toga sitting on his face again, Izuku's world was reduced to darkness, pressure, and the overwhelming scent of strawberries.
"Okay," he said, his voice muffled by the fabric of her skirt. "I need to replicate the push. I have to… I have to grab you again."
"Go ahead, scientist," Toga's voice came from above, tinged with mocking amusement. "Don't be shy."
With a determination born of pure necessity, Izuku moved his hands, sliding them up the outside of her thighs. They were firm, athletic. He paused for a moment, his hands trembling.
"Well?" she inquired.
"I'm getting to the optimal data zone!" he defended himself.
Finally, his hands found their target. They cupped over her rear, his fingers pressing into the firm curves. And he squeezed.
In that instant, the connection was established. It wasn't a glimpse, not a chaotic torrent. It was as if a perfectly indexed textbook had opened in his mind.
[QUIRK NAME: TRANSFORM] [USER: HIMIKO TOGA]
[LINKED PHYSIOLOGY: The user's Quirk allows them to perfectly mimic the physical appearance of another individual. Activation requires the user to ingest the blood of the person they wish to transform into. The duration and complexity of the transformation are directly proportional to the amount and quality (freshness, genetic compatibility) of blood consumed.]
[DETAILED MECHANICS (SENSORY INPUT FROM CONTACT):]
· Cellular Replication: Upon ingestion, the donor's blood triggers a rapid but temporary alteration of the user's cellular structure. This process is not a direct DNA replication but a sophisticated protein and structural mimicry guided by unique enzymes activated by the donor's genetic markers in the ingested blood.
· Vocal Cord Mimicry: The user's vocal cords undergo a temporary restructuring, allowing for perfect imitation of the target's voice patterns, pitch, and subtle inflections. This is a complex process involving temporary changes in muscle tension, cartilage structure, and neural pathways controlling vocalization.
· Clothing Replication (Limited): The user's Quirk extends to simple clothing and accessories worn by the target at the time of blood ingestion. This replication is imperfect and often temporary, especially with complex or tightly fitting garments, due to the primary focus on biological mimicry.
· Blood Dependency (The "Addiction"): A critical byproduct of the transformation process is a temporary depletion of specific hemoglobic proteins and vital micronutrients within the user's own bloodstream. This depletion triggers intense cravings, misinterpreted by the brain as a need for more blood, leading to the user's compulsion to ingest blood frequently. This is not a true addiction in the neurological sense but a physiological response to a metabolic imbalance.
· Transformation Limits: The user can only transform into individuals whose blood they have recently ingested. Multiple transformations require separate blood samples. The user cannot replicate Quirks of the individuals they transform into. Physical attributes beyond basic appearance (e.g., muscle mass, bone density) are mimicked within a limited range based on the user's own physical capabilities.
[CURRENT LIMITS (OBSERVED):]
· Blood Retention: The user seems to require relatively frequent blood intake to maintain transformations and suppress withdrawal symptoms. The exact duration between feedings is variable and influenced by the intensity and duration of previous transformations.
· Quirk Incompatibility Awareness: The user demonstrates an instinctive understanding of not being able to replicate Quirks, focusing solely on physical mimicry.
· Emotional Instability: The physiological stress of the blood dependency likely contributes to the user's erratic behavior and emotional volatility.
[UNTAPPED POTENTIAL (HYPOTHESIZED):]
· Blood Storage and Refinement: Potential to develop methods for storing and refining blood samples to enhance transformation duration and reduce the frequency of intake.
· Controlled Partial Transformations: Subconscious ability to potentially trigger partial transformations of specific features (e.g., voice, eye color) without full bodily mimicry, allowing for subtle infiltration and disguise. This is currently untrained and likely triggered by emotional resonance with the target.
· Metabolic Regulation: Targeted nutritional and pharmacological interventions could potentially mitigate the hemoglobic depletion and reduce the intensity of the "blood cravings."
[SUGGESTED EVOLUTION PATH:]
1. Nutritional Therapy: Implementation of a diet rich in iron, vitamin B12, and specific amino acids (especially L-carnitine) to counteract the metabolic imbalances caused by the Quirk. Supplementation with iron chelators may help regulate iron levels during transformations.
2. Neural Biofeedback Training: Techniques to consciously manage and reinterpret the neurological signals associated with the post-transformation cravings, potentially reducing the psychological dependence on blood.
3. Controlled Transformation Drills: Focused training to explore and refine the ability for partial transformations, enhancing stealth and information gathering capabilities.
4. Blood Preservation Techniques: Experimentation with various methods of blood storage (anticoagulants, temperature control, inert gas preservation) to increase the longevity and efficacy of collected samples.
[ANALYSIS COMPLETE.]
"I've got it! I've got it!" Izuku shouted, his voice muffled by the overwhelming amount of information. "I need… a pen… paper!"
"What?" Toga said. "I can't hear you! It sounds like you're talking to my butt!"
"PEN! AND PAPER!" he yelled louder.
"Who the hell brings a notebook to a murder?! You're insane!"
"MY BACKPACK!" he gasped, struggling to breathe. "It's next to you! Get it out! Quick!"
Toga let out a groan of exasperation, but she leaned over and fumbled for Izuku's backpack. She yanked it open and pulled out his hero notebook and a pen.
"Got it!" she said, returning to her position. "Now what, genius!"
"Write! Write what I tell you!" he commanded.
And he began to dictate, his voice muffled and rapid, a stream of biological consciousness.
"Your Quirk, Transform, it doesn't digest blood! It replicates its components! But the process creates a deficit of a hemoglobic protein in your own system! Your brain interprets it as hunger, as a need, but it's not! It's a phantom signal! A neural feedback loop!"
Toga wrote, her hand moving awkwardly on the notepad resting on her leg.
"Wait, wait, slow down! A loop of what?"
"Feedback! We can interrupt it! Not with willpower, but with chemistry! You need a supplement! Iron chelate, high doses of vitamin B12, and… and a specific amino acid, L-carnitine, to help your body synthesize energy without the trigger of foreign blood!"
The vibration of Izuku's voice against her made Toga let out a short breath, an unexpected pang running through her.
"What? What's wrong?" Izuku asked, confused.
"Your… your voice…" she said, her tone slightly tense. "It… it tickles. Down there."
"I can't stop! This is important!" he protested, and continued dictating doses and frequencies, ignoring the strange tension in her voice.
As she wrote, Toga's initial disbelief morphed into amazement. The terms he used, the specificity of the solutions… it sounded real. It sounded like hope.
When Izuku finished, he fell silent, exhausted. Toga stopped writing. She looked at the page full of scribbles, diagrams of neural pathways, and lists of supplements.
"Is this…" she began, her voice barely a whisper, "…for real?"
"It's the most likely evolution path according to my analysis," he answered, his voice still muffled.
Slowly, as if waking from a dream, Toga moved and stood up, freeing him.
Izuku took the most glorious breath of his entire life. He lay on the cold, damp concrete, staring up at the night sky. The air had never tasted so sweet.
He heard a laugh. He sat up and saw Toga standing beside him, staring at the notebook with a look of awe. The total absurdity of the situation hit them both at the same time, and they burst into laughter. It was a strange, hysterical laugh, born of terror, shame, and impossible relief.
"You're ridiculous, you know that?" Toga said, wiping a tear of laughter from her eye. "I was going to stab you. I was going to drink your blood and use your face to go shopping. And now… what are we? Study buddies?"
Izuku got to his feet. "I guess so. Uh… you hungry?"
Just then, Toga's stomach let out a growl so loud and long it seemed to echo in the alley. She blushed furiously.
"Shut up!" she snapped at her own stomach. "I didn't plan for an after-murder dinner! You were supposed to be dinner!"
Izuku, unfazed, shrugged. "I know a place. They serve the best katsudon in the city. It's quiet. No cops."
Toga looked at him, her expression a mixture of suspicion and curiosity. "You're weird, hero boy. Really weird."
She picked up her knife and put it away. Then, she clutched the notebook as if it were a treasure.
"I like it."
They left the alley. Izuku's flowers lay trampled and forgotten, a sacrifice to the strange alliance that had just been born. He, however, was still carrying the small bag from the pharmacy.
"This place we're going to…" Toga said, her tone now cautious. "I have to warn you. The cops are looking for me. For several things. We can't go to public places."
"It's not public," Izuku replied. "Trust me."
She looked at him skeptically. "What, you have a secret hideout or something?"
Izuku gave her a shy, mysterious smile. "Something like that. You'll see."
They walked along the sidewalk, an unlikely duo: a hero student with a plan and a fugitive with a notebook full of hope.
"This had better not be a trick, hero boy," Toga said, though there was no threat in her voice. Only an intense, dangerous curiosity.
"It's not," he assured her. "I promise."
And he led her through the illuminated streets.